Herb & supplement monograph

Codonopsis Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Codonopsis interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Codonopsis is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Codonopsis is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Codonopsis Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Codonopsis drug interaction appears low for most people, since the concerns identified so far are largely theoretical rather than proven in humans. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and every one carries only a possible likelihood, meaning the evidence comes mostly from lab, animal, or limited human research.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The best-supported concern involves anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs: a small human study found that a codonopsis liquor reduced platelet clumping, so combining it with blood thinners could, in theory, raise bleeding risk. In animal research, codonopsis sped up the clearance of abiraterone, a cancer medicine, which might lower its levels and effect. Lab and animal work also suggests codonopsis may lower blood sugar, so people taking diabetes medications should watch for signs of low blood sugar.

What the rest of the list means

Codonopsis shows up alongside a couple hundred medications, but that reflects broad drug categories, not proven problems with each drug. Most of these pairings rest on effects seen only in animals or lab studies, and none has been confirmed to cause meaningful harm in people so far.

Check your medications against Codonopsis

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Codonopsis interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Codonopsis

211 medications have a known interaction with Codonopsis, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Codonopsis using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Codonopsis interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Codonopsis combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Codonopsis affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Codonopsis is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 3 drug categories Codonopsis interacts with

Abiraterone (zytiga)Anticoagulant/antiplatelet DrugsAntidiabetes Drugs

Abiraterone (Zytiga)

Theoretically, taking codonopsis root with abiraterone might reduce the levels and therapeutic effects of abiraterone.
Animal research in rats shows that intragastric administration of codonopsis root along with abiraterone every 2 days for 2 weeks seems to increase the clearance of abiraterone and reduce the overall exposure and time to maximum concentration. This interaction has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, codonopsis liquor might increase the risk of bleeding when used with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs.
A small clinical study in adults with coronary heart disease shows that consuming Codonopsis pilosula liquor for 4 weeks inhibits platelet aggregation but does not affect tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) or plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI).

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, codonopsis might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Laboratory and animal research suggest that codonopsis has antidiabetic effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Monograph

Codonopsis: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Codonopsis (often called 'dang shen') is a root long used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a gentle energy and digestive tonic, frequently as a milder substitute for ginseng. Human research is very limited, so its benefits are not well proven. It appears reasonably well tolerated in food-like amounts, but you should talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a health condition.

Scientific name: Codonopsis pilosula
Family: Campanulaceae
Part used: Dried root
Common forms: Dried root, slices, decoctions (teas/soups), powders, capsules, tinctures, and herbal formulas

People commonly use it for

Fatigue and low energy
Digestive support and poor appetite
Immune support
General tonic ('qi' tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Cough and weakness during recovery from illness

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally considered well tolerated in traditional food-like amounts, but high-quality safety data are limited.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Codonopsis is the dried root of Codonopsis pilosula, a climbing plant in the bellflower family. It grows in parts of China, Korea, and other regions of East Asia. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is known as dang shen (or 'poor man's ginseng') and has been used for hundreds of years.

It is most often added to soups, broths, and herbal teas, or taken as a powder, capsule, or tincture. Because it is thought of as a gentle 'tonic,' it is sometimes used in place of true ginseng for people who want a milder option.

How it works

Codonopsis root contains a mix of natural compounds, including polysaccharides (a type of plant sugar), saponins, and other plant chemicals. In lab and animal studies, some of these compounds have shown possible effects on the immune system, on inflammation, and on the lining of the stomach.

These proposed mechanisms are mostly based on test-tube and animal research. It is not clear whether the same effects happen in the human body at the amounts people normally take, so the science is still preliminary.

Effectiveness

Does Codonopsis work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 6 uses evaluated

6 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

For Codonopsis, current evidence isn’t strong enough to rate any specific use. The conditions it has been studied for are listed below.

Also studied for 6 conditions — evidence insufficient to rate

Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Asthma